llms.txt
# TrakMac
> Voice-first macro tracking for fitness enthusiasts. TrakMac estimates the calories and macros in what you ate from a spoken description — no barcode scanning, no food database grind. Body-composition aware: onboarding asks about strength and cardio signals (bench press, mile time, echo bike, muscle-ups) instead of leading with gender, then adjusts daily calorie and protein targets accordingly.
## About
- App: iOS (Swift / SwiftUI), TrakMac AI for food estimation
- Company: TrakMac is a tracking and education company. Not medical or dietary advice.
- Site: https://trakmac.com
- App: https://trakmac.com/
## TrakMac Knowledge
General-knowledge articles on macros, training, body composition, GLP-1 medications, and the research behind common claims.
- [Glucose Spikes in Non-Diabetics: Should You Worry?](https://trakmac.com/learn/glucose-spikes-for-non-diabetics): CGMs made post-meal glucose spikes visible to everyone, but should non-diabetics worry about them? Here's the honest, research-based read for healthy adults.
- [Emotional Eating: Signs to Recognize and What Helps](https://trakmac.com/learn/emotional-eating-recognizing-the-pattern): Not sure if it's hunger or stress? Learn the signs of emotional eating that separate it from physical hunger, and what actually helps you respond.
- [Healthy Eating for Athletes: Beyond General Wellness](https://trakmac.com/learn/healthy-eating-for-fitness-enthusiasts): If you train 4 to 7 times a week, general wellness advice falls short. Here's healthy eating for athletes: more protein and carbs timed around training.
- [Fasted Training for Fat Loss: Does It Actually Work?](https://trakmac.com/learn/does-fasted-training-actually-work): Fasted training burns more fat during the session, but does it help fat loss over weeks? Here's what controlled studies show when calories are matched.
- [Does Late-Night Eating Cause Weight Gain? | TrakMac](https://trakmac.com/learn/does-late-night-eating-actually-matter): The don't eat after 8 pm rule gets repeated everywhere, but the research mostly disagrees. Here is whether late-night eating actually causes weight gain.
- [How Many Carbs to Eat During a Marathon | TrakMac](https://trakmac.com/learn/fueling-during-a-marathon): The wall is not inevitable. Most marathoners can avoid the bonk with 30 to 90g of carbs per hour. Here is how many carbs to eat during a marathon and when.
- [Progressive Overload: What It Is and How to Apply It](https://trakmac.com/learn/progressive-overload-explained): Progressive overload is the one principle that decides whether you build muscle. Here is what it means and the five ways to actually apply it in training.
- [How to Eat Healthy Without Ruining Your Social Life](https://trakmac.com/learn/healthy-eating-without-blowing-up-social-life): Strict diets usually fail on social cost, not willpower. Here is how to eat healthy without ruining your social life or being the awkward one at dinner.
- [How Much Protein Endurance Athletes Need | TrakMac](https://trakmac.com/learn/protein-maxing-for-endurance-athletes): The protein maxing trend was built for lifters. Here is how much protein endurance athletes actually need, where more backfires, and the gram ranges to target.
- [What to Eat on a GLP-1: Protein, Calories, and Muscle](https://trakmac.com/learn/glp-1-nutrition-guide): What to eat on a GLP-1: your calorie floor, protein target, how to keep muscle, and what changes when you stop. Practical help for Ozempic and Mounjaro users.
- [Does Creatine Cause Hair Loss or Harm Your Kidneys?](https://trakmac.com/learn/creatine-myths-hair-loss-kidneys): Does creatine cause hair loss or harm your kidneys? See where these common myths came from and what the research actually supports for healthy people.
- [Does Intermittent Fasting Work for Fat Loss? The Evidence](https://trakmac.com/learn/intermittent-fasting-honest-evaluation): Does intermittent fasting work for fat loss? See what controlled trials show about body composition and where the marketing gets ahead of the evidence.
- [What Healthy Eating Means in 2026: An Honest Guide](https://trakmac.com/learn/what-healthy-eating-means-in-2026): A modern, honest definition of what healthy eating means in 2026, built around GLP-1s, ultra-processed foods, and how adults actually eat now, not 2010 rules.
- [Protein Needs by Age: How Much at 40, 50, and 60](https://trakmac.com/learn/protein-needs-by-age): How your protein needs by age really shift: total intake stays similar, but aging muscle needs a bigger per-meal dose to respond. Here is what changes and why.
- [How Accurate Are AI Calorie Tracking Apps? Real Numbers](https://trakmac.com/learn/how-accurate-are-ai-calorie-tracking-apps): How accurate are AI calorie tracking apps? Most land within 15 to 25 percent on common foods: worse than a scale, better than guessing, and fine if you stay consistent.
- [Macros for Shift Workers: Night-Shift Tracking Guide](https://trakmac.com/learn/macros-for-shift-workers): How to track macros for shift workers when your day starts at night. Fix the streak math, calorie timing, and meal labels for rotating or night schedules.
- [What Is a Voice Macro Tracker? How It Works | TrakMac](https://trakmac.com/learn/what-is-a-voice-macro-tracker): A voice macro tracker lets you log food by talking instead of searching a database or scanning barcodes. Here is how it works and what to look for in one.
- [What to Eat Before a Race or Hard Session | TrakMac](https://trakmac.com/learn/eating-before-a-race-or-hard-session): What to eat before a race, from the night-before meal to the hours ahead. A simple timing and food-choice framework to fuel your event without GI trouble.
- [30g Protein Per Meal Rule: Does It Actually Matter?](https://trakmac.com/learn/30g-protein-per-meal-rule): The 30g protein per meal rule is everywhere on fitness social, but the research is more nuanced. See what the studies show and why the cap is often overstated.
- [How Much Protein to Build Muscle: 0.7 to 1g per Pound](https://trakmac.com/learn/how-much-protein-to-build-muscle): How much protein to build muscle: 0.7 to 1.0 grams per pound daily, backed by a decade of meta-analyses. See the range for your goal, age, and whether you cut or bulk.
- [High-Protein Grocery List, by Protein per Serving](https://trakmac.com/learn/high-protein-grocery-list): A high-protein grocery list organized by how much protein each item delivers per realistic serving, so hitting your target becomes the default, not a daily project.
- [Does Exercise Improve Insulin Sensitivity? Yes](https://trakmac.com/learn/insulin-sensitivity-and-training): Training is one of the most powerful ways to improve insulin sensitivity, often beating diet alone. Here is how strength work and cardio change your metabolism.
- [TrakMac vs MyFitnessPal: Which Macro Tracker Wins?](https://trakmac.com/learn/trakmac-vs-myfitnesspal): MyFitnessPal is a database you search, TrakMac estimates from your voice. A fair comparison of where each wins, pricing, and who should pick which tracker.
- [Why Maintaining Weight Is Harder Than Losing It](https://trakmac.com/learn/maintenance-harder-than-cutting): Most people regain weight after a cut because maintenance has no daily target or feedback signal. Here is why maintaining weight is harder, and how to hold it.
- [How Much Coffee Is Too Much for Athletes?](https://trakmac.com/learn/coffee-for-athletes): Caffeine is one of the best legal performance enhancers, but there is a real upper limit. Here is the honest read on coffee for athletes and when it starts hurting.
- [How Much Creatine for Women Over 40: The Daily Dose](https://trakmac.com/learn/creatine-for-women-over-40): Women over 40 need 3 to 5 grams of creatine monohydrate daily, no loading or timing tricks. Here is the exact dose and what the research shows for women who lift.
- [Healthy Eating When You Hate Vegetables: A Real Plan](https://trakmac.com/learn/healthy-eating-for-vegetable-haters): Hate vegetables? You can still hit fiber and nutrient targets from other foods. Here is the honest playbook for eating healthy without forcing down kale.
- [Why the Scale Goes Up When You Start Lifting Weights](https://trakmac.com/learn/why-the-scale-goes-up-when-you-start-lifting): The scale going up when you start lifting weights is water, not fat. Here is exactly what is happening and how long it takes to settle back down.
- [What to Eat on a Long Flight or Travel Day | TrakMac](https://trakmac.com/learn/eating-on-a-long-flight-or-travel-day): Airport food, dehydration, and disrupted schedules make a travel day hard on nutrition. Here is the playbook to keep a long flight from derailing your week.
- [How Long Body Recomposition Takes: A Realistic Timeline](https://trakmac.com/learn/body-recomposition-timeline): Body recomposition is real but slower than the photos suggest. Here is a realistic timeline, who it works fastest for, and what to track while the scale holds.
- [Cheapest Protein Sources, Ranked by Cost Per Gram | TrakMac](https://trakmac.com/learn/protein-maxing-on-a-budget): See the cheapest protein sources ranked by cost per gram, with real US grocery prices so you can hit a high protein target without overspending.
- [Is Two Days a Week of Lifting Enough to Build Muscle?](https://trakmac.com/learn/is-two-days-a-week-of-lifting-enough): Two lifting sessions a week is enough to build muscle if they carry enough total work. Here is what the research on training frequency actually shows.
- [How Many Calories to Eat on a GLP-1 Without Losing Muscle](https://trakmac.com/learn/calorie-needs-on-glp-1): How many calories to eat on a GLP-1 like Ozempic or Mounjaro, plus the protein target that protects muscle while you lose fat. Fitness guidance, not medical.
- [Hybrid Athlete Macros: Between Lifting and Endurance](https://trakmac.com/learn/hybrid-athlete-macros): Hybrid athlete macros sit between strength and endurance plans. Here is how to set protein, carbs, and calories based on where you land on the spectrum.
- [How much protein do you actually need?](https://trakmac.com/learn/how-much-protein-do-you-actually-need): Across 641 days of fully logged food, calories landed almost exactly on target and protein did not. Everyone who missed was in a calorie deficit, which is the group where protein matters most.
- [Distinguishing healthy macro tracking from disordered eating](https://trakmac.com/learn/distinguishing-healthy-tracking-from-disordered-eating): The line between disciplined tracking and disordered eating isn't always obvious. Some patterns are clearly healthy, some clearly problematic, and a real grey zone exists. Warning signs and self-reflection inside.
- [Is Butter Bad for You? What the Research Shows | TrakMac](https://trakmac.com/learn/is-butter-bad-for-you): Butter was the villain of the low-fat era, then quietly rehabilitated. Here's what the research shows about whether butter is bad for you and what to cook with.
- [When should you stop tracking macros?](https://trakmac.com/learn/when-to-stop-tracking-macros): Most macro-tracking advice assumes you'll track forever. The honest answer is that tracking is a tool with a job to do. Here are the signs the job is done and you can graduate — without losing the body composition gains.
- [Is Dairy Inflammatory? What the Research Actually Shows](https://trakmac.com/learn/dairy-and-inflammation): Is dairy inflammatory? For healthy adults, research shows it is neutral to slightly anti-inflammatory, and one of the best everyday protein sources.
- [How to Actually Eat 150g of Protein a Day](https://trakmac.com/learn/how-to-eat-150g-of-protein-a-day): Knowing your protein target is easy. Hitting it every day is the part that fails. Here is the arithmetic, a day that adds up, and the three structural fixes that make 150g routine instead of a daily scramble.
- [Eating for better sleep — what actually works](https://trakmac.com/learn/eating-for-better-sleep): Specific foods and meal patterns measurably affect sleep quality. Not magic, not dramatic, but real. Here's the evidence-based playbook for using nutrition to support sleep, plus what to avoid.
- [How to Handle Your Macros When You're Sick | TrakMac](https://trakmac.com/learn/macros-when-sick): Being sick changes your calorie needs less than you would think. Here is how to handle macros when you're sick, what to prioritize, and when to pause tracking.
- [How Accurate Are Nutrition Labels, Really? | TrakMac](https://trakmac.com/learn/how-accurate-are-nutrition-labels): The FDA lets nutrition labels be off by up to 20% on calories and macros. Here's what that margin means for your tracking and how to work around it.
- [How sleep affects your macros (and why poor sleep undoes good tracking)](https://trakmac.com/learn/how-sleep-affects-your-macros): One bad night changes your hunger, cravings, metabolism, and training for 24-48 hours. Chronic poor sleep undoes most body composition work that good macros are supposed to produce. The science and fix.
- [How to track macros at a buffet, wedding, or brewery](https://trakmac.com/learn/tracking-macros-buffet-wedding-brewery): The hardest tracking situations are the ones with no labels, no portion control, and no easy way to log. Buffets, weddings, and breweries are macro tracking edge cases. Here's the realistic playbook for each.
- [How to Track Macros With ADHD: What Actually Works](https://trakmac.com/learn/tracking-macros-with-adhd): Standard advice ignores the executive-function tax of logging meals all day. Here is how tracking macros with ADHD actually works, or how to skip it without losing results.
- [Tracking macros while traveling — when you can't weigh anything](https://trakmac.com/learn/tracking-macros-while-traveling): You can keep your macro tracking honest on the road. The trick is dropping precision-mode and using estimation defaults that account for the things you can't measure. Here's the exact playbook for travel weeks.
- [Protein maxing for women — the bro number is wrong, here's what works](https://trakmac.com/learn/protein-maxing-for-women): The 1.5-2g/lb protein number was derived from male bodybuilders. Female athletes need protein scaled to their physiology, not their boyfriends'. Here's the actual research-backed range and how it changes through life stages.
- [How to Estimate Macros Without Weighing Every Meal](https://trakmac.com/learn/tracking-macros-without-weighing): You can estimate macros without weighing every meal. Consistent estimates within 20 percent beat perfect tracking you quit in two weeks. Here is how it works.
- [Macros for athletes training twice a day](https://trakmac.com/learn/macros-for-two-a-day-training): Two-a-day training adds 600-1,200 calories of expenditure most days, plus a recovery demand that single-session calculators miss. Here's the actual nutrition math for 2x daily training, plus the practical timing playbook.
- [Mediterranean diet for fitness enthusiasts](https://trakmac.com/learn/mediterranean-diet-for-fitness-enthusiasts): The Mediterranean diet has the strongest research base of any eating pattern for long-term health. Adapting it for athletic needs (more protein, calories, training-time carbs) preserves the benefits.
- [Plant-based protein maxing — does it actually work?](https://trakmac.com/learn/plant-based-protein-maxing): Plant proteins have lower amino acid completeness and slightly lower digestibility than animal proteins. That doesn't mean plant-based protein maxing fails. It means the math has to be adjusted by about 15-20%. Here's how.
- [Healthy Eating After Disordered Eating Recovery](https://trakmac.com/learn/healthy-eating-after-disordered-eating): In stable recovery, standard macro advice can backfire. Here's how to approach healthy eating after disordered eating with regularity, not optimization.
- [Signs you're protein maxing too aggressively](https://trakmac.com/learn/signs-protein-maxing-too-aggressively): Most 'high protein' warnings fear-monger about kidneys. The actual signs of overdoing protein in healthy adults are subtler: GI symptoms, food monotony, displaced carbs, worse training. Here's what to watch for.
- [What to Eat After a Race or Competition to Recover](https://trakmac.com/learn/post-competition-recovery): Recovery nutrition after a race or competition, from glycogen to protein timing. What to eat in the first 24 to 72 hours, and what athletes get wrong.
- [Are Seed Oils Bad for You? What the Research Shows](https://trakmac.com/learn/are-seed-oils-bad-for-you): Are seed oils bad for you? The research is mixed and often exaggerated. Here's an honest look at canola, soybean, and sunflower oils, and what's actually supported.
- [What a CGM actually shows fitness enthusiasts](https://trakmac.com/learn/what-cgm-actually-shows): CGM data is heavily marketed as a window into metabolic health. For non-diabetic athletes, most of what a CGM reveals is normal physiology, not actionable insight. Here's what the data actually means and where the value is.
- [Are Eggs Healthy, or Bad for Your Cholesterol? | TrakMac](https://trakmac.com/learn/are-eggs-actually-healthy): Eggs were blamed for high cholesterol for decades, but the research reversed. For most healthy adults they're a top protein source. Here's what changed.
- [Red meat — what the research actually says](https://trakmac.com/learn/is-red-meat-bad-for-you): Red meat is one of the most polarized foods in modern nutrition. The honest read: unprocessed red meat at moderate intake is roughly neutral; processed red meat carries real risk; the research is messier than either side admits.
- [Does Strength Training Actually Improve Bone Density?](https://trakmac.com/learn/strength-training-and-bone-density): Bone responds to mechanical load, which makes resistance training one of the few genuine levers on bone density. The research also shows that the intensity most people train at is too low to trigger it.
- [How to Hit Your Protein Target Without Shakes](https://trakmac.com/learn/hitting-protein-without-shakes): Protein powder is convenient and optional. If you would rather eat food, here is how the numbers work out across a day, and which whole foods carry the most weight per serving.
- [What 'metabolically healthy' actually means](https://trakmac.com/learn/what-metabolically-healthy-actually-means): 'Metabolically healthy' has become a catchall wellness term, often disconnected from actual clinical definitions. Here's what the research actually defines as metabolic health, the markers that matter, and how to know where you stand.
- [Will Lifting Weights Make Women Bulky?](https://trakmac.com/learn/will-lifting-make-me-bulky): The bulky fear keeps women in the 5lb dumbbell section for years. Here is what the research on sex differences in muscle growth actually shows, and why the look people are afraid of is harder to build than they think.
- [How to eat healthy when you cook zero nights a week](https://trakmac.com/learn/healthy-eating-no-cook-week): Most healthy eating advice assumes meal prep and nightly cooking. Here's how to eat healthy without cooking, hit your protein, and mostly eat real food.
- [How to Spot Fake Healthy Foods at the Grocery Store](https://trakmac.com/learn/how-to-spot-fake-healthy-foods): Spotting fake healthy foods comes down to four patterns in the ingredient list. Learn the red flags brands use to fake a health halo, and how to see through them.
- [Is Muscle Soreness a Sign of a Good Workout?](https://trakmac.com/learn/is-soreness-a-sign-of-a-good-workout): No. Soreness tracks novelty far more than it tracks stimulus, and using it to judge a session will push you toward random training and away from the thing that actually builds muscle.
- [Protein maxing — what the research actually says (not the TikTok trend)](https://trakmac.com/learn/protein-maxing-what-research-says): Protein maxing is the social media trend of eating 200-300g of protein daily.
